Titans Come From Behind to Earn Series Win

Fullerton, Calif. - Nick Ramirez's first home run of the year broke a 6-6 tie and proved to be the game-winning hit as Cal State Fullerton defeated the University of Hawaii 13-6 to notch their second-consecutive series win Saturday night at Goodwin Field.

The Titans, in their biggest come-from-behind victory of the year, improve to 12-10 and are two games over .500 for the first time this season. Hawaii drops to 12-11.

Kyle Mertins (3-1) pitched two innings of two-hit ball in relief to pick up the win. Jesse Moore, who served up Ramirez's long-ball in the sixth, and two subsequent runs, took the loss. Moore is 0-1.

Titan starter Daniel Renken labored Saturday night and was touched for six runs (four earned) on eight hits. The right-hander walked five and struck out five in the no-decision.

Renken threw 71 pitches in the first three innings and was on the hill for the Rainbow's four-run third. Hawaii batted around and collected just two hits - a double by Greg Garcia and a single by David Freitas - but capitalized on two Renken walks, a hit batter, and a pair of Titan errors that contributed to three of the four runs.

The Titans erased that 4-0 deficit in their half of the third, scoring four times off starter Sam Spangler. Christian Colon had an RBI-double and Tyler Pill had a two-run double that knocked Spangler from the game. Corey Jones greeted reliever Conner Little with a run-scoring single to tie the game up at four.

Ramirez doubled to lead off the fourth and came around to score after a wild pitch and a ground out, and Christian Colon belted his sixth home run of the year, a solo shot to left-center, to give Fullerton and Renken a 6-4 lead after four.

Renken pitched two scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth, but was lifted after Matt Roquemore doubled and Garcia followed with a single to start the sixth. Kevin Rath was called from the bullpen but walked Kolton Wong on five pitches to load the bases. Fullerton went to Mertins to get out of the jam, but Freitas welcomed him with a two-run single to tie the game at 6-6.

Ramirez's home run in the sixth opened the flood gates, as the Titans went on to score six more times in the seventh off three different Rainbow arms. Carlos Lopez, Pill, Billy Marcoe, Walker Moore each had an RBI in the inning, while Ramirez knocked two more home with two-run double to right.

Colon, Jones and Ramirez each had three hits in the Titans' 17-hit attack. Gary Brown (7 games ), Marcoe (8 games) and Lopez (16 games) each extended their hitting streaks. Pill and Ramirez drove in three to lead the Titans, while Freitas has three for Hawaii.

The two teams will square off on Sunday with the first pitch slated for a 1 p.m. start.